Parliament of Ukraine has not started discussing the sensational religious laws, the MPs simply could not get round to them. Today the MPs discussed medical and agricultural issues. A package of documents on culture and spirituality was at the end of the list.

As reported, a meeting of representatives of the UOC (MP), protesting against the "religious laws" was held near the Parliament from early morning. Faithful and clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate prayed, performed worship and held posters “Bills 4511 and 4128 are persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by the state.” The UOC (MP) claims there were around 10 thousand protesters. Reporters counted 3.1 thousand people.

During the day there was disinformation about alleged withdrawal from consideration of these bills, but later, at a briefing, notorious MP Novinsky denied these rumors.

A priest who won in the “Voice of the Country” music contest was also noticed among the protesters. The Church reported that Metropolitan Onufry, Primate of the UOC (MP) also came to support the believers. Parishioners stood by the Parliament throughout the day and dispersed after the close of the Parliament’s evening session.

Next Monday a new conciliation board will be held which will determine the agenda for next week. Most likely, the Committee will re-submit these bills to consideration. So it will be known early next week whether MPs will consider them or not.

It should be noted that the religious laws have been discussed throughout all week. On this occasion, Head of Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill even wrote a letter to religious figures and world leaders of Normandy Four, in which actually blackmails with Russia’s default on Minsk II should the bills be adopted. And the head of the legal department of the UOC (MP) is already considering whether to impose anathema on MPs for disobedience.

We are referring to Bill No. 4128 (the procedure of jurisdiction change) and Bill No. 4511 (on a special status of denominations with their center in Russia). Detailed analysis of these initiatives is available at RISU website.